Is Colin Powell still a Republican? Bob Schieffer to probe...

ByJimmy OrrMay 23, 2009

Former Secretary of State Colin Powell will appear on Face the Nation Sunday morning. Host Bob Schieffer has said he will ask Powell about his political persuasion and the proposed closing of Guantanamo Bay.

Who better to ask that question than the guy who started it last week? Schieffer. And he'll be able to do just that as he's secured the former secretary of state on his program tomorrow morning.

"That is exactly where I intend to start with Colin Powell," Schieffer previewed on the CBS Political Hotsheet blog. "Because, my sense is that he has something to say as well."

Bail

Powell doesn't appear to be leaving the party. At least his remarks from earlier this week don't reveal a change in affiliation. He's just appears to be more big tent than his most vocal critics.

"Rush Limbaugh says, ‘Get out of the Republican Party.’ Dick Cheney says, ‘He’s already out.’ I may be out of their version of the Republican Party, but there’s another version of the Republican Party waiting to emerge once again,” Powell said at a dinner in Boston.

Change

That's not to say that he thinks all is well with the GOP. Anything but. Earlier this month while speaking at a conference in Washington, Powell said the party needs to keep up with the country.

"The Republican Party is in deep trouble," Powell said.

"The party must realize that the country has changed," he said. "Americans do want to pay taxes for services. Americans are looking for more government in their life, not less."

Guantanamo

Schieffer said the proposed closing of Guantanamo Bay's detention center will also be discussed tomorrow.

"Does it cause a threat?" Schieffer said he would ask Powell. "This is a debate we never had during the campaign because, like Obama, McCain supported closing [it] but no one ever got past the first paragraph. How do we close Guantanamo?"